"Real Painters" Don't Use Tape

Originally Posted by WisePainter

The only issue here is do I really want my clients seeing me wipe paint off of a surface I could easily have masked? My clients are of the common sense crowd, and I don't need them asking me if I am going to do something any first year painter would automatically do.
I can tape the baseboard in an average size room in less than 10 minutes. I use ONE continuous piece of tape for each wall, I HATE when I have helpers that tear the tape every foot or so. Of course a round column requires smaller pieces to navigate the curve, but it sucks to pull up the masking bit by bit.
I have cut plenty of baseboards without tape, but it takes a bit longer to get it right what with gravity trying to pool my paint on top of the baseboard. With tape I can mindlessly fly right through the baseboard cut in without spending all day on my knees.
What happens when the wet rag hits your freshly painted wall? Or do you wait until the paint on the wall cures so you don't damage it? That means returning to the room later on to remove the spattering.

A) 10 minutes of masking with $1.70 worth of tape, and 5 minutes to remove the tape to reveal a perfect line.

or

B) 25 minutes to cut in the baseboard (that is a generous guesstimate), wait 10 hours then return and spend 15 minutes with a rag in your hand trying to remove all the microscopic spatter you can see...all while the HO wonders if you are a real professional.

1 1/2" blue tape: $5.00 a roll.
Application time: $3.50 @ 10 min.
Clients that trust you with their home and referring you to friends: PRICELESS

I don't tape door/window trim unless it is new construction.

Originally Posted by capital city

Why not just paint the baseboard. It makes the job look so much better with a fresh coat and I can paint the baseboard in the same amount of time it takes to tape it (yes 10 min). I also paint the baseboard last, which Im sure will start another discussion. But I like to paint casings first.

Originally Posted by Mr. Mike

You will like this Workaholic,
I use frog tape when I paint stripes like the one on my profile picture.

Originally Posted by WisePainter

So are you saying you paint the walls then return and fresh coat the base trim?
If that is the case how do you get the trim color (usually light colors) to cover the dark wall colors that have spattered in one pass? Also, with a high sheen for the trim won't all of the little spatters eventually become visible?

I too will run a coat of trim paint after rolling, but only on the top to lessen any large areas where paint crept up underneath the tape due to uncontrollable circumstances; like an ugly caulk bead, or boogers that prevented the tape from sealing properly.
Neither of those things occur regularly, but with repaints one is constantly fighting the work of previous contractors.

Originally Posted by ModernStyle

If you cant paint the base in a room in the same ammount of time it takes me to tape it ................

Originally Posted by StefanC

Everyone has there own way of doing things guys!

Originally Posted by capital city

Wise you should know how I get to white semi to cover the dark wall colors because you also use the purdy collosus covers then hardly splatter at all. I dont understand where everyone is coming from on this, if you use a good roller cover and good paint then splatter is minimal and a good white semi will cover with no problem.

Originally Posted by capital city

What are you guys using for trim paint property management?

Originally Posted by capital city

a good white semi will cover with no problem.

Originally Posted by WisePainter

Even with the finest roller cover ever produced I wouldn't rely on it being "no spatter" even if it is only minimal. If I use any type of sheen on the trim eventually the light will hit it just the right way for the client's eyes...and the phone will ring.
Then I get to trundle over and walk behind the client as they literally "rub" every inch of trim in order to show me that the trim has "millions of tiny bumps that show".

yay.



If you are strictly painting flip houses or rentals for a property management co., you can pretty much use a paintball gun to do a proper job, and discussing tape on trim is moot.
I honestly hope that is not the bulk of your painting business as it really dulls the senses after the 30th rental house, almost to the point of irreversible damage.
I avoid "polishing turds" like the plague.



Even the finest paint manufacturers have yet to formulate a white that covers perfectly in one coat.
SW is the closest with their "Pure White" base.

I feel like I am debating the use of drop cloths...

Originally Posted by capital city

What does that mean? If you can paint the base in the same amount of time it takes to tape then why in the hell are you taping

Originally Posted by WisePainter

Even with the finest roller cover ever produced I wouldn't rely on it being "no spatter" even if it is only minimal. If I use any type of sheen on the trim eventually the light will hit it just the right way for the client's eyes...and the phone will ring.
Then I get to trundle over and walk behind the client as they literally "rub" every inch of trim in order to show me that the trim has "millions of tiny bumps that show".

yay.



If you are strictly painting flip houses or rentals for a property management co., you can pretty much use a paintball gun to do a proper job, and discussing tape on trim is moot.
I honestly hope that is not the bulk of your painting business as it really dulls the senses after the 30th rental house, almost to the point of irreversible damage.
I avoid "polishing turds" like the plague.



Even the finest paint manufacturers have yet to formulate a white that covers perfectly in one coat.
SW is the closest with their "Pure White" base.

I feel like I am debating the use of drop cloths...